by Shauna Hart
Jill’s lips curled in a sardonic grin as she tilted her head to the side. “Now how did I know you were going to say that?” she quipped.
Her mouth formed a grim line. “Do you remember my trip to Austin last year?” she asked.
Jill rolled her eyes as she let out a heavy sigh. “What does that have to do with anything?”
“Well, you guessed that I met someone there,” she began.
Jill nodded. “The mystery man,” she remembered.
Her eyebrows rose.
Jill’s eyes narrowed. “What are you trying to say, Mel?”
She drew in a deep breath before plunging forward. “Connor was the mystery man.”
Jill’s gaze drifted around the room as she tried to make sense of it. “So, you’ve been seeing each other the whole time?”
Melanie shook her head. “No, just that one night. I never thought I would see him again.”
Jill’s eyes widened. “Wow! I’ve heard of bad karma, but this takes the cake! Are you telling me that the man you spent a hot night with suddenly showed up here? And is now your boss?”
“That’s one way to put it,” she conceded.
A look at Jill’s face left little doubt that her friend was enjoying the comedic value of the situation. Unable to stop herself, she began to laugh. Their shoulders shook as they gave themselves up to the moment.
Jill finally held up a hand. “I’m sorry. It’s not funny.”
Melanie’s giggles finally subsided as she looked at her friend. “I wanted you to know. I never would’ve…if it wasn’t for the fact that I already knew him. That’s why I was going to leave,” she admitted.
“And now? Are you still leaving?”
She drew her lower lip beneath her teeth. “I don’t know,” she answered honestly.
For a moment, they were both silent. Then, Jill spoke.
“Well, I wouldn’t be a friend if I didn’t put my two cents in,” she started to say. “Mel, I’ve known you for a long time. In all the years I’ve known you, I’ve never known you to let yourself get carried away with anything, least of all a man.”
“So?” she replied a little defensively.
Jill smiled as she shook her head. “So, maybe it’s time you did. Maybe you should give this thing between the two of you a chance?” she suggested.
When she hesitated, Jill put a hand on her shoulder. “Isn’t he worth it?” she reasoned.
She thought of this morning, when she’d found him in the kitchen trying to make breakfast in bed.
Yes, he was worth it.
No matter what happened.
* * * *
Connor hung up, his forefinger and thumb coming up to massage his temples. He still couldn’t believe it. He had tried to comfort Melanie, but deep down, he was really worried. The incident in the parking lot had been no accident. Someone had deliberately tried to hit her. As if that wasn’t enough, someone had broken out the floodlights. Which meant that whoever was doing this was much closer than they thought. Luckily, the contractor would be there today to fix the lights. Still, he didn’t like the idea of her being there alone.
If he hadn’t been there last night…
Well, he didn’t even want to think about what would have happened.
And that wasn’t the only thing that had him befuddled. His feelings for Melanie were more powerful than he ever could have expected.
He couldn’t lose her.
He wouldn’t.
He would find whoever was doing this and put a stop to it.
In theory, it sounded perfect.
There was only one problem.
Who was it?
Who would want to hurt her?
Running down a list of potential suspects was proving to be a daunting task. After all, Melanie had already told him that she didn’t have any enemies or ex-boyfriends who might have a grudge.
That meant that whoever was doing this was someone he knew.
Unfortunately, he had a pretty good idea of just who that might be. It wasn’t an easy pill to swallow, though. Thinking that Miranda might be capable of what happened in the parking lot made his jaw clench painfully.
Still, he couldn’t take any chances.
Last night, he had made some hard decisions. He planned to see Miranda today. If she was guilty, he would know it. He would see it. Pulling out his cell phone, he quickly selected her name from the list of contacts before putting the phone to his ear. It immediately went to voicemail. For a moment, he considered leaving a message, but hung up instead.
If Miranda was the one doing these things, he sure as hell wasn’t going to give her any warning that he knew.
Grabbing his jacket off the back of the chair, he hit the intercom button.
“Callie, I’m going out for a little while. If anyone calls, just take a message,” he instructed.
One way or another, he was going to get to the bottom of things today.
He just hoped it wasn’t as bad as he thought.
* * * *
By the end of the day, Melanie was exhausted. She hadn’t seen Connor since lunchtime. Turning off her monitor, she pulled her purse out of the drawer. Before she could stand up, Jill appeared.
“Hey, want to go to Teddy’s for happy hour?”
Melanie wrinkled her nose. “Can I get a rain check?” she countered.
Jill nodded. “Sure. Why, do you have big plans tonight?” she asked with a covert wink.
Melanie smiled as she shook her head. “No, it’s just that some weird things have been happening lately,” she replied.
Jill’s eyebrows drew together. “What kind of weird things?”
Melanie shrugged as she stood up. “It’s not a big deal,” she answered dismissively.
“It sure sounds like a big deal.”
“It’s nothing I can’t handle.”
Jill tilted her head to the side. “You sure?”
She nodded. “I’m sure.”
Jill’s eyebrows rose as she let out a sigh. “Okay then, maybe next week?”
Melanie grinned. “Next week sounds great.”
“Well, have a good night, then,” she called out over her shoulder as she walked toward the exit.
“You, too.”
Walking up to the reception area, she waited as Callie turned off her computer.
“Callie, have you seen Mr. Mason?” she inquired.
Callie swiveled in her chair to face her. “He left earlier. Didn’t say where he was going. Just told me to hold his calls,” she explained. She offered Melanie a wry grin. “Maybe he has a secret girlfriend?”
Melanie tried to smile at the other woman’s joke, but she didn’t have it in her. Too much had happened lately. The thought of Connor having a hidden girlfriend made her stomach sour. She couldn’t help but think of Miranda.
Were things really over between them?
Or was that just what he wanted her to believe?
“Thanks,” she said as she walked back to her desk.
The thought of Connor lying to her, using her, made her feel sick. She wanted to believe that what she felt with him was real.
But was it?
Or was it just what she wanted to believe?
A quick glance at the clock told her that it was way past five o’ clock. He’d told her not to go home without him. But if he was so worried, why didn’t he tell her where he was going?
Well, she wasn’t going to sit around and wait for him like some pathetic puppy dog.
If Connor Mason wanted to know where she was, he was just going to have to find her.
Chapter 14
Connor drummed his fingertips on the steering wheel. He had been waiting outside for over an hour, and that didn’t count the hour he had driven by six times.
Where the hell was she?
A quick glance at the clock informed him that it was almost six o’clock. He had tried to call the office several times, but the phones had already been switched to the answering service. Calling her cell phone hadn’t tur
ned out any better.
By now, he had figured out that she was avoiding him.
He reached over to turn the key in the ignition. Obviously, Miranda wasn’t coming home any time soon. And he was way too worried about Melanie to wait any longer.
Heading for the office, he tried her cell phone again. It immediately went to voicemail.
Damn the woman!
Couldn’t she at least pick up the phone to let him know that she was okay?
He hoped she hadn’t been stupid enough to leave without him. On the third call to her cell phone, he had admitted to himself that he should have told her where he was going.
Okay, so he had acted like an inconsiderate ass.
He could admit that.
But surely she wouldn’t risk her own safety to prove a point.
Would she?
His foot pressed down on the accelerator as a sick feeling crept into the pit of his stomach. He punched in the number again.
Giving up was not an option.
Not until he talked to her.
* * * *
Melanie hit the button to send Connor’s call to voicemail before throwing it into her purse. She eased her car into the parking lot, choosing a spot at the end. Heading toward the entrance to her condo, she heard the ring tone begin to play again.
She let out a heavy sigh as she lifted the phone to see Connor’s number illuminated. After the way he left today, she had every intention of giving him a piece of her mind. But the least she could do was make him dsweat a little bit.
Reaching up, she hit the end button. Following the path, she fished for her keys as she reached the door. As she slid the key into the lock, she heard the sound again.
“Take the hint already,” she muttered as she opened the door.
The sound of footsteps on the walk behind her was the only warning she had before she felt a heavy blow on the back of her head. Her vision retreated into a dark tunnel as she collapsed on the floor.
She willed herself to get up.
But her body took over as everything went black.
* * * *
Damn her!
Why wasn’t she answering her phone?
Okay, so she was angry. He had come to grips with that during the last ten calls. But that was no reason to shut him out. The least she could do was let him know that she was okay.
The light overhead turned yellow, and he stepped on the accelerator, desperate to make it through before it turned red. A quick stop at the office proved that she hadn’t waited for him like he had instructed. A feeling of foreboding crept into the pit of his stomach.
Something wasn’t right.
He could feel it.
Pulling into the parking lot, he spotted her car at the end of the row. He eased into a spot next to hers. Barreling out of the car, he made it to the sidewalk in record time, barely remembering to hit the automatic lock button on his key ring. He hurried up the path to her door.
Dim light filtered through the blinds. He rapped his knuckles against the hard wood, listening as he waited for her to answer.
Suddenly, the light went out.
“Mel, I’m not stupid. I know you’re in there,” he explained.
He heard the sound of shuffling inside and raised his hand to pound his fist against it.
“Let me in,” he commanded, his tone harsh.
After a moment, he heard the lock click. He tested the knob, a little surprised when it opened. Taking several steps inside, his eyes narrowed as he tried to see in the dark.
Where the hell was she?
Suddenly, the door slammed behind him, the lock sliding back into place.
“Melanie,” he said, barely able to make out her silhouette.
She flipped the switch on the wall, and light illuminated the room.
What he saw made his jaw clench painfully.
Miranda stood before him, a perverse smile sliding across her mouth. But it wasn’t the evil grin that worried him. It was the sight of Melanie bound to a chair, her arms pulled behind her, her mouth taped with duct tape. His attention was pulled back to Miranda as she motioned to him, a gun held firmly in her hand.
All of the air in his lungs evaporated in an instant.
The look of fear in Melanie’s eyes made his chest ache.
“Is this who you’re looking for?” Miranda challenged.
He took a deep breath as he mentally searched for a way out of the situation. “Miranda, what are you doing?” he began cautiously.
She walked around Melanie, stopping behind her, the gun hanging limply at her side. “I had the right, didn’t I? I mean, after all, she’s the reason you left me.”
His eyes met hers. “That’s not true.”
Her eyebrows arched high. “Really? Can you honestly tell me that the reason you left had nothing to do with you fucking her?” she demanded, her temper flaring.
She bent down, her face side by side with Melanie’s. Her arm rose as she pressed the gun to Melanie’s temple. Melanie’s eyes squeezed shut, tears streaming down her face. Miranda gripped her jaw with her free hand, holding her head still as she stared at Connor.
“I don’t get it, Connor. She doesn’t have anything going for her. God knows, she’s not prettier than me. So, what is it? Is it the sex? Is that why you walked out on me?”
Knowing he couldn’t let this go on any longer, he took a step toward them. She stood up, aiming the gun at his chest.
“Don’t take another step,” she warned. “You wouldn’t want me to shoot the little slut, would you?”
He stopped abruptly, holding his hands out in front of him. “You’re right, Miranda,” he began slowly. “I made a mistake. I shouldn’t have left you.”
She shook her head wildly, her eyes glittering. “Don’t you dare try to placate me like I’m one of your bimbos!”
Taking a deep breath, he watched her try to regain control as she pressed the gun against Melanie’s head.
“I bet she wouldn’t look so pretty if I pulled the trigger. I bet you wouldn’t want her then, would you?”
Connor weighed his options. He thought about rushing her in an attempt to get the gun but decided against it. She was too unstable, and the threat was too high. All she had to do was get off one shot, and it would all be over.
He couldn’t risk that.
He wouldn’t.
All he could do was reason with her.
“Miranda, wait! If you pull that trigger, the police will swarm this place. That’s if the neighbors haven’t already figured out that something is up. You’ll never make it out of here. You don’t want that.”
The laugh that she let out chilled him.
“I’m not an idiot, Connor. I pretty much said goodbye to a clean getaway when I grabbed Miss Can’t Keep Her Pants On.”
Ignoring the way she waved the gun at him, he took a step toward her. “Maybe. Maybe not. Come on, Miranda. She’s not the one you’re mad at. I am. If we leave now, you still have a chance,” he bargained.
Her eyes narrowed, and she chewed the inside of her lip as she considered his proposition. “She’d tell them who I am. She’d tell them what I did,” she voiced aloud.
“By the time she gets out of the ropes, we could be long gone.”
For a moment, he wasn’t sure if she would take the bait. All he could hope for was that her sense of self-preservation outweighed her lust for revenge. Still, he had no other option. The thought of her hurting Melanie made his stomach turn. He would rather she shot him, because his life would pretty much be over anyway.
She tilted her head to the side, waving the gun at him as she spoke.
“For once, you’re right.”
His satisfaction was short-lived as she slammed the gun against the back of Melanie’s head. He watched her slump forward in the chair, the rope the only thing keeping her up. When his eyes met Miranda’s, she smiled.
“Just to make sure the little bitch doesn’t get anywhere for a while.”
When he s
tarted toward her, she pushed him away with the butt of the gun.
“Don’t even think about trying to be a hero,” she warned.
His jaw clenched as she dug the gun into his side.
“Turn around,” she bit out.
Connor felt the cold steel pressing against his back as he led her out to his car. He started to open the driver’s door, but she ripped the keys from his hands.
“Other side. I’m driving,” she informed him.
When he hesitated, her lips pursed in a frown. “Get in.”
Connor slid into the seat beside her, watching as she turned the key in the ignition. He sent up a silent prayer that Melanie was okay.
He just hoped that after all these years, God was still listening.
Chapter 15
Connor winced as Miranda blew through a red light. The sound of squealing tires made him jerk as the cars around them barely stopped in time.
“Jesus, Miranda!” he yelled.
But Miranda didn’t hear him.
Even though her eyes were focused on the road ahead, he would bet she didn’t see a thing. She swerved in and out of traffic on the highway, barely avoiding a collision.
“We could have been happy together, Connor. We could have been the perfect couple,” she spat.
He gripped the dashboard to keep from sliding around in his seat.
“Miranda, no one is perfect,” he replied, his gaze firmly trained on the road ahead.
She yanked the steering wheel to avoid a minivan. Turning his head, he noticed that the van held a mother and two young children. If he didn’t do something soon, someone was going to get hurt. As worried as he was for the both of them, the thought of some unsuspecting person being injured because of his indiscretions made his stomach turn.
“I was perfect, Connor. I had it all until you left.”
He glanced over at her. The cool, detached exterior had shattered. The woman before him now was just an empty shell. Her clothes twisted, her eyes glazed, she bore no resemblance to the woman he had spent several months with.
“Miranda, you never had to be perfect for me,” he denied.
Her eyes met his, tears crowding the corners. “Then why didn’t you love me?’ she challenged.
He sighed heavily.
Why couldn’t he love her?